


The Only Light

by HeithChief



Series: Summer Lovin': Heith Week 2018 [4]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Medieval, Alternative Universe - Kingdom, Flower meanings, Flowers, Kings & Queens, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-22
Updated: 2018-06-22
Packaged: 2019-05-26 20:36:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,562
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15008954
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HeithChief/pseuds/HeithChief
Summary: Keith is a adopted son of Zarkon, King of Galra and is betrothed the neighboring Altea Kingdom's Princess Allura. The thing is, Keith is in love with Hunk and they have to meet in secret. They use flowers to communicate and signal their secret meetings, but they know they'll eventually have to stop meeting. If they don't, choosing Hunk over his duties as Prince might just cost him his life.





	The Only Light

**Author's Note:**

> Day 4 of Summer Lovin' Heith Week "Flowers"

Keith was staring out the window, completely bored with everything was going on around him. According to his adoptive father, this meeting was important and it was crucial for him to be there. Even so, it was a simple diplomatic meeting, something about keeping peace between the three neighboring kingdoms. Keith was physically there, but his mind was completely checked out. He knew without even being at the meeting that Zarkon was only playing the nice peacemaker, he had lost that desire long ago. Ever since Zarkon’s biological son, Lotor, was killed in the war of the three kingdoms thirteen years ago, the only thing in his heart was revenge. 

How did he plan on getting his revenge? He adopted a poor orphan named Keith, had him trained to be a warrior, and raised him a prince. Keith knew deep down that he was barely a replacement for Lotor. He was a son of Zarkon, but only for a political move. He would marry the Altean Princess Allura and then on the wedding night, Zarkon’s army would storm the Altean kingdom and murder them all the nobles. Then he would have twice the army to fight the third kingdom Olkarion. Of course if any of the Altean knights refused to fight for Zarkon, they’d be executed. Keith’s life had been planned out from the moment Zarkon found out his had no surviving relatives. 

But what choice did Keith have? Starving in the streets and scrounging around food? He was only ten years old when his father died and as far as he knew his mother had been taken by Altea. If he resisted his fate, he would be killed and replaced just like he had replaced Lotor. As long as Keith went to all their diplomatic meetings, training session, and lessons, he was allowed to do whatever he else he wanted. He was given the finest food, clothes and a roof over his head. He was treated like a king, but inside he always felt like an imposter. A needle in a haystack, disguised, but always different. 

Zarkon had just proposed Keith’s marriage to Princess Allura, that much Keith had heard, but again it didn’t matter. His opinion was irrelevant here. From what he could tell, the “peace offering” had gone over well and preparations would start soon. The meeting was just about to finish when something caught Keith’s eye outside. Delicately placed in a tree closest to the window were two flowers. The first a purple iris that was used to send a message. The second was a yellow sunflower to signify adoration and dedication. That bright yellow flower was also very reminiscent of the man who sent it. 

A small smile formed on Keith’s lips seeing their little signal and of course every else in the meeting thought it was about his upcoming marriage. The rest of the meeting didn’t matter after that, he was going to sneak off to meet Hunk. The only light in his life, the only choice that Keith made for himself. Zarkon grabbed Keith’s arm to stop him before he could go meet Hunk.

“Not so fast, you will be at that marriage meeting when it happens.” 

“Yes, sir.” 

“I know you think you’re just pawn in this, but I’d appreciate it if you took a more active role in our meetings. You’re alive because I’m allowing you to live.” 

“Yes sir.” 

Zarkon let go of his arm, but not before squeezing it threateningly, and stormed off. Keith knew the intention was to be intimidating, but Keith just saw as stupidly overdramatic. It was like he was playing the part of storybook villain but not well. He just rolled his eyes, grabbed his hooded cloak and left out one of the secret passages. The castle passages weren’t intended for Keith to use them to sneak out, but he didn’t care. They were the easiest way not draw a crowd when he just wanted to go see Hunk. 

Hunk was an apprentice for the local baker in town and they had met when Hunk had dropped of a delivery at the castle. Keith was blown away by how pretty his smile was and that it like sunshine breaking through the clouds that had become Keith’s life. Hunk was so kind, genuine and honest. With everything that happened in Keith’s life so far, he had almost forgotten people could be that way. Keith decided to use the code his parents used to do, they would leave flowers in trees for each other. Red flowers meant danger, yellow were a warning, and blue flowers were safety. 

Keith decided to take it a step further and memorized a bunch of flower meanings in between training and lessons. He decided to leave a yellow tulip outside of the bakery. He knew it meant “sunshine in your smile” and added a purple iris to it show signify that he was sending a message. Hunk came out to meet him and rest was history. Keith smiled at the memory of that, the only time he really smiled was when it was related to Keith. 

He approached the tree and his arm was immediately grabbed. Hunk pulled him behind it, eagerly connecting their lips in a passionate hello kiss. “What took you so long.” 

“The  _ king _ stopped me to ‘threaten’ me and make sure I’m at the marriage meeting, probably next week.” 

Hunk’s face fell a little, “So you’re really going through with it?” 

Keith sighed and pulled away to pluck the flowers from the tree. He twisted the stems between his fingers as he thought for a moment. “What choice do I have? You know full well that Zarkon will kill me if I refuse.” 

“Yeah and I’d much rather have you alive and married than dead.” Hunk sighed and leaned his forehead against Keith’s, “I love you so much.” 

Keith’s lip trembled at those words because this was starting to feel more and more like a goodbye. “I love you too.” 

Hunk pulled another flower out of his cloak, a red tulip and Keith really felt like crying. Red tulips stood for passion, but they were also a pure declaration of love. “At least you’ll have the flowers as a reminded of how I feel about you.” 

“Stop. This isn’t goodbye. We’ve still got time.” Keith wanted to cling to this last bit of his own life before he became totally merge with Zarkon’s plans. He would hope and call on every deity he could think of to just let him be with Hunk. He knew it wouldn’t work. 

* * *

It was the day before the official marriage meeting between the Galra and the Altean kingdoms. Keith had gotten increasingly more depressed with each passing day. Their last meeting was the last time he had seen Hunk and he was hurting. A flash of yellow caught his eye out his window as he was taking a break. Daffodils? Those were only native to Altea. Part of him felt like it was trap, but he had to go anyway.

“Keith.” The woman whispered his name and then lower his hood. 

It had been years since he’d seen her, but then again, he never forgot his mother’s face. “Mom?!” 

“You’re in danger Keith, My Galra informat told me the marriage is just a scam. They’re going to murder anyone who opposes them.” Krolia had gone past the greetings because they didn’t have time for them. “You have to go. We’ll sneak you through Altea and then through Olkarion.” 

“Mom. I can’t, Zarkon will hunt me down. He’ll hurt...he’ll hurt Hunk.” 

Krolia saw the emotion in Keith’s eyes when he talked about Hunk. He couldn’t hide it, not from his mom. She knew the greatest fear was losing loved ones and Keith had that exact fear reflected in his eyes. “Is this a boy you love?” 

“Yes.” 

“Go get him. We’ll take him with us.” 

Keith relaxed his shoulders and looked at his mother with a look of gratitude. He only had her back for two minutes and he already was about to owe everything to her. He grabbed the Daffodil from the tree and raced to the bakery with a promise to meet up with his mom. He stuck the flower in the tree and waited. 

“A single Daffodil? Are you rejecting me? Wait, daffodils don’t grow here, where did you get that?” Hunk had raced out to meet him, thoughts racing faster than the words could spill out of his mouth.

“My mother. She came from Altea to get me. We have one chance if we get caught we’re dead. We have to go with her right now.” 

“Yes. I’ll go anywhere with you.” He smiled, tears forming in the corners of his eyes. “We’re really going to get out of here together?” 

“Yes, we are. My mom has horses waiting at the edge of town. We’ll basically be banished from all three kingdoms, but if we make it beyond Olkarion, we’ll be safe.” Keith nodded, trying to keep a level head as Kolivan had always taught him. He couldn’t get too emotional or it could jeopardize everything. 

“We will make it.” He leaned down and kissed Keith, mostly for good luck, but deepened it quickly. If they were about to risk their lives, they better kiss like the world was ending. 


End file.
